And a swallow takes flight

After a weekend of fine weather to remind us just how fortunate we are to live in this part of the world, Monday dawns with grey skies and drizzly rain.

Mr Grigg and I are recovering from grandparents' duties during which the four-year-old impressed us with her care and kindness towards the baby, 14 months. The weekend, however, began and ended at the Sheepwashes, with a simple supper (more like a banquet, actually. Anyone would think Pelly was working towards her cookery badge in the Girl Guides) on Friday and then Pimms yesterday evening. And when the sun went down, the chimnea kept us warm and cosy.

It was a good weekend after a harrowing Friday in which 401 people attended the funeral of a local man whose death has hit us all so badly. He was 53 and took his own life. In the words of his father, such a wicked waste of a brilliant mind. As his coffin lay with the Union Flag draped over it in front of the altar, his two lovely children being comforted by their mother, a swallow swooped down from its high vantage point to the chorus of All Things Bright and Beautiful.

Village life goes on, although there is little to report.

Nobby Odd-Job has ricked his neck quite badly and no-one knows how he has done it, Mrs Bancroft is indignant at the church's ruling against dishing out communion wine because of swine flu. She also left the price label on the underside of her new shoes for all to see as she knelt at the altar rail.

Mr Loggins is irate because the tree trunk at the side of the road all the men have been talking about has finally been taken away before they had a chance to log it up and cart it off. Darling Loggins is getting eggy about embryonic plans for a Dorset version of the Monopoly pub crawl after Mrs Bancroft reported seeing a group of people dressed as penguins in the Docklands area going around with a checklist.

Number One Son did not break his ankle but a nasty sprain means he hasn't done his summer job for the past week. Number One Daughter came back with a headache from her hen night. Mr Grigg missed the turning for the car park for a neighbouring village's open day after becoming fixated on the bottom of a woman dressed as a bunny girl.

Celebrity Farmer went to London for the weekend and interviewed one of the doctors from TV's Embarrassing Illnesses. Our new neighbours were welcomed to the village by Mr Grigg pushing a fresh cucumber through their Landrover window. Mr St John and Lady Friend are back on course. Caruso and Dudley have again been living it up at the Hix oyster and fish restaurant.

Our shopkeeper asked me for a third time what the web address was for this blog, the pub is full of holidaymakers and a family of Sikhs are staying in Tuppence's house.

Nothing to report? Maybe a bit then, but that's about it.

Love Maddie x